Prince of Braves: Rise of the Zero
by Ryu Gabriev
Summary: (ZnT/GaoGaiGar SI) Halkeginia has endured 5000 years of societal stagnation even with the magic of its Nobility at their disposal. But an event will take place during the Springtime Summoning Festival that will catapult the Blessed Realms into the Space Age... the arrival of the Prince of Braves.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own nothing except those ideas that I created myself. This story is to entertain and improve my skills as a writer.

* * *

Chapter 1: Is it a Bird? A Suit? A Familiar?!

* * *

Not for the first time, Jean Colbert wondered if Miss Valliere was just one spell away from being cast out. Not only from the Academy but from all of the aristocracy in general. He could indeed understand why she had avoided coming forward to make her summoning attempt, even if that meant she only succeeded in catching the attention of all the other Second Year students once her absence was finally noticed.

Miss Zerbst goaded the Heavy Winds youngest daughter into the summoning circle, and Miss Valliere raised her wand with a hand that trembled slightly. The balding magic user silently vowed to give some manner of assistance to the pinkette should this spell end in failure for her. _An assistant's position would be a good fit, given her studious nature in class. My research budget could easily afford the expense also, but quarters for Miss Valliere n-_

The professor was yanked back to reality as a loud bang came from where the pinkette had been casting along with a thick, choking dust cloud. Something had happened, at the very least, but the balding magic user still felt pity for what was most likely hidden under the haze.

He focused his Will and slashed at the dust cloud with his staff. The haze responded and dispersed, leaving Miss Valliere falling to her knees in the summoning circle…

...by herself.

Professor Colbert felt his heart go out to the pinkette as several whispers and muffled laughs started to be heard from her peers all around her. The balding magic-user did notice some students that weren't up to kicking the Heavy Wind's youngest while she was down; such as Miss Zerbst, who had her arms crossed under her substantial bosom and a somber look to her face. Miss Tabatha, who had been reading one of her many novels at the time, actually looked up from the pages to focus on Miss Valliere for a moment.

But just as the Professor opened his mouth to call the pinkette to leave the circle…

" _HEY! Which one of you bastards yanked me from the testing area?!"_

A voice from above startled many of the assembled students and forced everyone to gaze upward! There, a good twenty feet or so above the ground hovered something no one upon Halkeginia could ever remember seeing. It was humanoid in shape and completely covered in squarish, silvery grey armor that had strips of teal blue at the thighs, biceps, and shoulder guards.

The front chest plate was shaped into the head of a bird of prey, with a beak and eye frames a bright gold. The forearms and lower legs were the same silver grey as the rest of the armor but were smoothly shaped instead of square, making them stand out. The legs, in particular, each had a jet of bluish flame rushing out an opening at the calf area.

Attached to each forearm at the wrist was a two-pronged claw that extended out past the hands. They didn't look particularly sharp, given that they shared the same block design as the rest of the armor, but the balding magic user still felt old instincts tense at the sight of the strange handguards. Two squat slanted protrusions extended from the shoulder blades and had flames erupting from the underside of each, both colored the same incandescent blue as the fire coming from the legs.

Professor Colbert started to wonder if it was those flames helping keep this stranger aloft. As if to answer the unspoken question, the fires went out, and the armored being fell to earth, landing firmly on its feet.

Now that it was on the ground, the balding magic user could get a better look at the helmet. It was blocky, as previously noted and held a large squarely cut emerald in the forehead area, and two white vents around an opening in the front. Glass or some other transparent material was covering that opening, and behind it was a person's face. A man's face, if the thick goatee around his mouth was any indication, with pale skin, hazel eyes, and an angry snarl on his lips.

The stranger then brought a hand to the transparent faceplate and did something that allowed it to recede upwards into the helmet, exposing his face to the outside air. He opened his mouth and spoke again in that same unrecognizable language. _"I'm not gonna ask again. Who. Did. This. TO ME?!"_

Whoever he was, the fellow was apparently upset. Several of the students began to speak amongst themselves, but much of it could be boiled down to wondering if this was what Miss Valliere succeeded in summoning. A good question indeed, and one that had a sure fire way to answer it. The balding magic user straightened his stance and put himself back into the look of an authority figure. He turned to face the Heavy Wind's youngest and noticed that she was still in the position she had been when the dust cleared. Professor Colbert tapped the butt of his staff into the cobblestones underneath his feet and cleared his throat to get everyone's attention. "Miss Valliere, it would be prudent to see if this creature is your familiar. Continue with the ceremony, if you would, please."

Acting as one, everyone refocused their attention upon the pinkette, including the stranger. The Heavy Wind's youngest jerked her head around as if she just remembered what she was supposed to be doing. She then took a deep breath to steady herself and stood up before walking towards the stranger.

The armored being had crossed his arms in front of himself and cocked his head to the side, almost looking curious as to what was about to happen. But as soon as Miss Valliere came to a stop in front of him, the stranger tensed as started backing away from the much smaller girl.

"Louise… Françoise… Le Blanc de la Vallière…" It was a tiny whisper from the armored being, but it was heard loud and clear by everyone present, especially the one to whom that name belonged. Suddenly the armored figure stumbled backward before leaping into the air and flying away at a speed no Halkeginian had ever witnessed before.

Or, at least, he _would have_ had Professor Colbert not been the one to preside over the Springtime Summoning Festival for the last decade. As such, the balding magic user was quite adept at reading the intentions of creatures that had just been summoned and were about to make a break for it. Even then, with his reflexes from years in the military, Professor Colbert only just managed to cast the Levitation spell in time.

But even with a millisecond to spare, the magic did its work. The stranger's forward momentum halted almost as soon as it began, leaving the armored figure quivering in midair with great plumes of fire blasting out behind him. The strain on the professor's Will was enormous, so much so that his body was slowly being dragged from his original position.

The students could feel the hot wind being kicked up by the armored being, even more so when he looked behind himself for an instant, then faced forward giving off a wordless shout. As the stranger did so, the gem in the helmet and the eyes of the bird's head began flashing with a bright green light. At the same time, the gouts of fire from his back grew much more significant and exerted such force that the balding magic user was nearly yanked from his feet. Some students fell backward from the sudden output.

Several others rose to their teacher's aid and cast Levitation on the figure as well, forcing the impromptu battle of opposing forces into a stalemate. Miss Valliere could only look on, transfixed at the sheer display of power her familiar was capable of producing.

For a moment, as Professor Colbert's Will began to fray and the students helping him felt their growing fatigue, it looked like this creature, whatever he was might overpower a Triangle-class mage as well as several of the Academy's stronger students _at the same time._

But it wasn't to be.

One of the two protrusions on the stranger's back exploded in a massive fireball and immediately the glow coming from the armor and the force trying desperately to push the armored figure forwards ceased. The stranger now merely wriggled in place, trying to reach the blackened section of his back and crying out in pain from the damage the explosion just inflicted on him.

The balding magic user was able to handle things from that point onwards. He gently floated the armored being in front of Miss Valliere so she could complete the ritual. At the same time, Colbert directed two students to fetch the apothecary to give medical attention to the injured being. He heard shouting coming from where the pinkette had been and turned around to face an oddly comical scene.

The Heavy Wind's youngest was pounding on the stranger's helmet demanding that he reveal his face so she could complete the ritual correctly. The armored figure just laughed and spoke to her in a taunting tone, sticking his tongue out at her for emphasis. Professor Colbert was now in a hurry to finish things up so that he could lay down, hopefully for a few months. "Miss Valliere, what in Founder's name is the matter?!"

The pinkette turned to her teacher quivering with anger. "I-I-I-It's _h-his_ fault! I spoke the incantation and tapped him on the head like I was _supposed to_ , but when I moved closer to… to… t-to!"

Miss Zerbst interjected at that point. "I think the word you're looking for is 'kiss,' Valliere. If you like I could show you a few pointers later."

The class erupted in laughter, the memories of what had just occurred seemingly forgotten. The pinkette turned to give a scathing rebuttal to her redheaded rival, only to be preempted by a bright glow coming from the armored being. Unlike before, however, this glow was a solid white and came from strange letters forming upon the stranger's chest. _"NO! NononononoNO, this is bullshit! The half_ -pint kissed my faceplate, not me!"

The professor was stunned speechless. For some reason, the stranger's words shifted into proper Tristanian mid-sentence, hinting at powerful magic being the cause of what was happening. The next instant the armored being's protection began rapidly folding away from him making a strange tonal sound. Colbert still kept a grip on the armor as it changed, but that meant the one wearing it fell to the ground in an undignified heap. The glowing letters remained upon the collection of twisting metal plates as it reconfigured itself. The fragments of the section that had been blasted off of the armor flew back and rejoined the whole as the transformation continued.

Before everyone's eyes, that which had been worn as a suit of armor changed into a large bird of prey as tall as the Heavy Wind's youngest. The strange runes faded, leaving an enormous, metal bird that acted unusually lifelike after Professor Colbert released his hold on it. It studied the pinkette intently, even while letting her run her fingers across its shiny exterior. Her face gained a look of wonder and joy as she came to grips with this development. "I should think of a name to match your beauty, shouldn't I?"

The stranger untangled himself and stood up striding purposefully towards the pair. "It's called FalconGao. It's a prototype variable configuration armor suit that I was testing to get some of the kinks worked out, at least until your stupid spell kidnapped me."

The pinkette looked up at the taller stranger as if for the first time. Somehow he had managed to keep the gauntlets and leg guards on his body, which was found to be decently muscular. He wore a solid white shirt under a dark brown unbuttoned leather jacket with a white fur collar. Below his waist was a pair of pants made of some unknown midnight blue material that ended at the knee and were secured by a black leather belt around his waist. His dark brown hair was cut short and brushed away from his face.

Not ugly by any standard Miss Valliere could name, but she wasn't feeling too inclined to sympathize with his situation, mainly since it resulted in her grand turn of fortune. "I suppose that is an interesting enough name for _my_ familiar."

The young man shook his head. "Uh-uh. _My_ armor."

" _My_ Familiar!"

" _My_ Armor!"

Their faces moved closer together, each growing more enraged. "My _Familiar_ , you cheeky, musclebound hooligan!"

" _MY! ARMOR!_ you strawberry sized chibi-chan!"

FalconGao could only look between the both of them as they argued, considering ways of ensuring their future cooperation despite this rocky start. A thought unknowingly shared by Professor Colbert, who felt a familiar twinge in his temples as he realized a nap would be a ways off indeed.

* * *

Headmaster Osmond had seen many things over the course of his many years. So many things, in fact, that a part of him entertained the fear that there was nothing new to behold, no shore left to discover, or no new prank that could surprise his secretary, Miss Longueville.

So despite the fact that a humongous political tangle dropped into his lap because of Miss Valliere's summoning, Old Osmond was glad he could kick that nasty thought back into the subconscious where it belonged. Currently, the problem was summarized like so: Louise de La Valliere had been successful in bringing forth a familiar, something that went quite a long way to justify her place in the Academy. However, what became her familiar had previously been the property of this man that had been dragged along during the summoning. A rare occurrence, but not outside the Headmaster's experience. In past situations, the divine mandate that came with the master/familiar bond was accepted as the last word in whom owned what. But for the sake of fairness, compensation could be agreed upon and paid out to the former owner that would settle the matter.

Which is where the problem showed itself; this fellow did not accept the bond of master and familiar as sacred, nor would he receive any form of payment in exchange for agreeing on the current state of affairs.

Or _rather_ , as he put it:

"You could give me this _entire country_ , and it wouldn't be enough to cover a fraction of the tab for FalconGao!" The stranger further showed his displeasure by slamming a fist on Osmond's desk as he spoke. "That armor is a one-of-a-kind prototype, combining the height of my country's understanding of G-Technology and the latest in A.I. assisted combiner mecha system development. A few gold coins, jewels, land grants, or combination of all of the above isn't gonna cut it!"

Osmond sighed while stroking his long, white beard. "I am certain that Miss Valliere's familiar was indeed something of great importance to you and your country, but 'What's Done is Done,' as they say. The Springtime Summoning Festival is a sacred rite that just _cannot_ be revoked. Even a foreign Nobleman like yourself is aware of the need for dignity and tradition in situations like this?"

The stranger scoffed aloud before crossing his arms in front of himself. "Nobleman? _Me?_ Not really, and glad for it, especially if Nobles define terms like Propriety and Tradition, in the same way, I'd define Kidnapping, Theft, and Attempted Bribery."

The pinkette and Headmaster both became quite interested in the discussion as an unforeseen solution revealed itself. Coughing once to clear his throat, Osmond locked eyes with Miss Valliere. "My apologies, Miss Valliere. It would seem your involvement in this was unwarranted. Feel free to retire to your quarters with your familiar."

Before the stranger could utter a single syllable of renewed protest, the Headmaster channeled his Will into his staff and focused his magic upon the young man from another world. Instantly the stranger began shuffling towards the door to Osmond's office. His face was taut, and his teeth were clenched as he tried in vain to resist the magical control that his arms and legs were now under. The group passed Miss Longueville, Old Osmond's secretary, who now observed this casual display of her employer's power with a stunned look on her face. The Headmaster asked her to head to the main vault, gather one of the grey sacks of coins stored there, and bring it to them at the main entrance. The jade-tressed woman gave a single nod and hurried off to comply with her employer's request.

This impromptu parade of a stranger, Headmaster, second-year student and her metallic companion made their way to the front gate of the Academy, whereon Osmond maneuvered the young man from another world into a kneeling position facing the Academy just outside the threshold. Moments later, Miss Longueville returned from her errand with a hefty sack floating beside her.

Guessing his intentions, the jade-tressed woman levitated the sack over to the helpless stranger and deposited it in front of him. The Headmaster whispered words of power under his breath and pointed at the young man from another world with the head of his staff before angling it towards a point far beyond the surrounding treeline. Osmond then cleared his throat and spoke. "My spell will now compel you to journey until you reach the capital city. It is my hope that you will be well and use this bounty that has been provided to build a life for yourself since it is doubtful that you will be capable of returning to your home country. You have a few moments freedom now to gather up that purse of platinum coins."

The two guards that had observed the spectacle thus far gasped in shock at what they heard, as did Miss Longueville and Miss Valliere. A _single_ coin of minted platinum was a fortune in and of itself. A whole purse full could buy a Germanian title, lands _and_ a mansion with hired staff and not deplete even a tenth of the supply. The stranger would have to be mad to not take advantage of what had been given to him.

Slowly, testing that he could, in fact, again move under his own will, the young man from another world lifted the heavy sack off of the ground and rose to a standing position. The Headmaster turned to leave, confident that this little knot had undone itself when he got the second most significant surprise of his day.

"HEY, GANDALF!"

Osmond turned back just in time to see the stranger go into an unusual pose and throw the bounty of precious metal, sack and all, right back through the gate. Murder wasn't on the young man's mind, however, since the purse careened past everyone there and flew the distance of the courtyard to impact the wall of the nearest tower with a thunderous sound. At the site where the bag now held itself against the wall, several spiderweb cracks soon spread.

The Headmaster was speechless as he looked from what he had just witnessed back to the one that had accomplished it. Much to his relief, the young man from another world was starting to move away from the gate, but not without some parting words. "Nice try, Mithrandir, but you aren't gonna be able to lawyer yourself out of this one. I will be back, and I will figure out a way to reclaim my armor. I owe that much to everyone back home, at least."

The pinkette, having seen more than her share of startling things, was unable to resist offering her rebuttal. "You can't stop our magic! Our blessings from the Founder m-make it _impossible_ for a Commoner to reach where Nobles stand! Y-you've got a better chance to w-walk upon the moons than cross the gulf that stands between us!"

The stranger somehow managed to come to a complete stop after Louise finished shouting. He then turned himself back around to face everyone still assembled at the gate. A smirked grin appeared on his face, and a strange, bright green glow began flashing from the center of his chest underneath his white shirt. As it did, spoke calmly back at the pinkette but strong enough to be understood despite the distance between them. "Firstly, I just threw that bag of heavy metal across that gulf of yours, so it isn't as far as you might think. Secondly, and I'll admit you can be forgiven for not knowing this, _Never_ tell the Prince of Braves that something is _impossible_. I've made a career out of proving people like you _wrong_."

With that, the glow in the young man's chest subsided, and he resumed his enforced journey to the capital, leaving the assembled group to puzzle out what they had just witnessed. The two guards remained standing at their post, but neither could remove the sight of the man that glowed with an intense inner light from their minds.

Miss Longueville looked almost starstruck as she made her way to the 'returned' purse of platinum coins so that they could be returned to the vault.

The pinkette was overcome with the urge to hold onto FalconGao as tightly as she could while she tried to reconcile her reality with the knowledge that some strange commoner had the same hardened gaze as her mother.

The Headmaster only sighed aloud before starting back toward his office. ' _Not a Nobleman, but strong enough to toss a full purse across the courtyard to strike walls reinforced against all but the most extreme damage and make a dent. And also shrewd enough to understand what taking those coins would mean to the world at large and how it would help my position. And I all but offered him to Princess Henrietta on a silver platter… Oh Founder, have mercy on me.'_

* * *

"Stupid memory, stupid procedure, _Fucking stupid BioNet!_ I can't believe how badly I messed up back there!" The young man from another world had been walking for almost 20 minutes now and had more than enough time to cool his temper. But with that cooler head, came the self-recriminations of a task poorly completed. "If that damn giggling twit hadn't scrambled my head-"

He paused mid-rant as he heard rustling limbs and leaves behind him, gaining fast. A tender part of his psyche hoped it was someone, or a group of someones, thinking he was an easy mark. The exercise would do much for his frustration. The stranger grinned and began muttering to himself. "Welcome to the House of Pain, boyos. I'm Hiro Gabriev, and I'll be your server today!"

Hiro's greeting ended in a roar as he bent his will against the magic pushing him forward, stopped, then turned around in a fighting stance to face what came out of the foliage!

He could taste his disappointment when a feminine scream answered his call, and the brush parted to reveal a young woman in a light brown travel dress covering her face with the suitcase she had been carrying. The young man from another world groaned loudly and let the enchantment take hold once more. He walked backward for a few steps, then turned himself around before continuing his enforced journey.

A few dozen steps later Hiro heard the young woman rush to catch up with him while shouting for him to stop and wait for her. He turned in place midstep so that he was again walking backward before giving his reply. "Sorry, Darlin'. Mithrandir back there whammied me so hard that I'd keep walking till I reach the capital city. I can hold it back in short bursts, but not much else." The young man from another world reversed his positioning and faced forward once more. "If you wanna have a conversation, you'd best be able to walk and talk at the same time," he continued.

A few moments later the mystery girl managed to catch up to him and match his pace as they continued down the road. Hiro turned his head to get a good look at her while she calmed her breathing. She was a bit shorter than he was, with raven hair cut into a cute bob style. Her eyes were a sky blue and held a slanted almond shape. The rest of her body could only be summed up as 'right' by the pilot's standards. Not too large anywhere, and not too small, especially in… certain areas.

He averted his eyes as soon as he caught himself staring and focused on the path ahead. A moment later Hiro's new traveling companion had recovered enough to both walk and talk. "I-I'm sorry for startling you earlier. My name is Siesta. I hope you don't mind me traveling with you, mister… um…"

The young man from another world gave a little grin before speaking. "Hiro Gabriev's the name I answer to these days. Nice to meet ya!"

Siesta smiled in turn, but then gained a confused look on her face. "'These days?' So you had a different name once?"

The young maid noticed her companion shrinking in on himself and quickly moved to apologize for her misstep. Hiro waved it off as a non-issue before choosing to elaborate further. "I'm sure I had a different name once. But I can't remember it, or anything related to my personal history."

Siesta was now more confused than ever. "I've never heard of someone only losing a specific part of their memories before. Was some noble punishing you in some way, and this is what happened as a result?"

Hiro chuckled as he laced his fingers behind his head. "I doubt there would be a point to punishing someone like this. Besides, it wasn't magic that did this to me. If it were, I'm certain it could do better than this kludge job."

He then proceeded to explain the process known as Targeted Memory Manipulation or TMM. The brain of the subject is mapped within an MRI through the use of pointed questions about one's past events, relations, and so on. Afterward, pulses of electricity are injected through the scalp, scrambling the neurons underneath. Unfortunately, with so much of the mind's memory interwoven throughout the whole of the brain, more than just the targeted information was likely to be affected.

Siesta, for her part, was honestly shocked that anyone would undergo such a horrific sounding treatment. Hiro grinned and simply pointed out that this was done to him, not for him. The young maid went pale and stopped in her tracks. A moment or so later she had regained her senses enough to catch up again with the young man from another world and silently walked beside him.

The awkwardness in the air quickly subdued Hiro's sensibilities, forcing him to break the silence. "Look I'm… sorry if I frightened you back there, Siesta. Where I'm from most folks, have at least a basic idea of what BioNet put so many people through. It never seemed to bother anyone when I talked about it before. If I had known you'd react the way you did I'dve toned down the infodump a bit."

Siesta didn't respond immediately, leaving the young man from another world to wonder if he had hurt her mentally from the shock. Thankfully, that proved not to be the case when the young maid opened her mouth to speak again. "Nobles are horrible, aren't they?"

Hiro's left eyebrow quirked upwards but gave no further sign of interest in her question. "I would think it depends on the Noble you meet, honestly."

The young maid whipped her eyes up to meet his own. "I used to think that about Headmaster Osmond! His eyes would wander, of course, but he'd never force himself upon any of the staff. But he stole that steel bird from you for Miss Valliere, didn't he?! Who's to say that couldn't be _me_ , tossed to some Noble as a gift because of my looks, and me helpless to do anything about it if it was to help him with another _Noble_ problem?!" Siesta's shoulder twinged at that moment from the strain of holding her luggage for long without a break. Hiro offered to carry it for her the rest of the way, to which the young maid agreed. As the young man from another world maneuvered the luggage into a comfortable position dangling behind his left shoulder, Siesta continued to vent her grievances. "I thought I was safe there! At least, as safe as any place could be for a commoner girl… Then I watched Old Osmond casually force you out of the Academy, then tossing you that purse of money, _as if that_ would make the fact he bullied you out of your property _disappear_. I couldn't stay in that place another second! And- and what this Lord… Bayonet did to you in your own country! It's all so... _so!_ " The former maid finally couldn't find the words to express her frustration and fears adequately, ending her tirade in a roar.

Hiro patted her on the back with his free hand to help her calm down. As he did so, he felt his opinion of his impromptu traveling companion rising along with his general mood. It felt nice to have someone in his corner after everything that happened thus far, even though he couldn't help but try to correct her on a few things. "Not that I don't appreciate the support, Siesta, but I honestly think all these things you've listed are examples of human nature, not Noble nature. Gandalf back there was having to deal with a very nasty out-of-context problem and took the easy way out when it showed itself. As for what happened to me in the past, BioNet isn't a powerful Noble; it's a company made up of businessmen. Merchants. And not a single one of them has a title next to their name. So when you think about it, it's commoners hurting commoners in this instance."

Siesta was stunned at this revelation, so much so that the young man from another world had managed to distance himself from her by a dozen yards or so before she could recover and run to catch up with him again. Once she had, the former maid sputtered through several false starts before finally settling on an essential question. "But if Nobles and commoners aren't that different, how do you avoid being a hypocrite and show you're better than them?"

Hiro smiled as he offered a swift reply. " _Love your neighbor as you would yourself. As to whom your neighbor is, look to the one who is beside you._ "

Siesta looked slightly lost, so the young man from another world elaborated. "That's the second commandment that my Messiah, Jesus Christ, told to those that would accept following him and the Gospel. The First being: ' _Love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, and all your soul, and all your mind._ ' During the first month, after everything that BioNet did to me back home happened, it was hard not to feel low given… given everything I lost. I found this little one-story church building on one of my off-days and figured, 'Why not?'. But Brother Kelly and everyone there helped me, even in ways I didn't know I needed help."

The former maid was smiling now, as well. "So you prove you aren't like those Nobles by… caring for everyone you meet?"

Hiro shook his head. "It's not to prove _I'm_ better, but to prove His Way is better."

Siesta turned her eyes back towards the path with a thoughtful look on her face. A moment later, as the pair just cleared the treeline of the forest, she pointed ahead with a happy exclamation. The young man from another world took the time to stop and enjoy the view with his companion of the capital city in the early sunset.

* * *

Elsewhere, far to the west and several miles above Tristain, the sun was setting in a more binary sense; both heralding the end of a day, and the inevitable end of the soft tyranny of the Noble families that ruled here. Little of this mattered to the one that would spearhead such change, the interdimensional warrior known as Revan Greywords. It wasn't the name he'd gained at birth, but when he'd undergone BioNet's TMM procedure for new agents, the technician/otaku running the machinery felt inspired by the opportunity.

Afterward, things went further downhill in the agent's opinion. As their first successful G-cyborg, BioNet would use him to perfect their version of the 3-G Variable Terrain Assault Combiner Armor that had initially been designed by the United States Air Force. With Revan thus armed, and armored, BioNet would quickly rise to become the world's most feared criminal empire forcing him to inflict great hard upon all who dared oppose them. They became the boogiemen in the night, moving their shadowed hands to claim whatever the company's leaders would desire.

But it wasn't enough for the corporation, so in time they began research into breaking through the unknown to other worlds, other dimensions. A few days ago, BioNet had succeeded in punching through to this world of Halkeginia and the land of Albion specifically. Almost immediately, contact was established with a rebel organization that supposedly wished to unite all the continent and reclaim their Holy Land from the elves that held control over that part of this world.

BioNet's Directors were ecstatic, naturally. Actual _Magic_ in a percentage of the population, exotic locales, and resources that might be harvested for the 'good of all' back on Revan's homeworld. But first, the company wished to see if these rebels had any clue as to what they could do with real power.

"So basically my employers want to see what you can do with the right assistance. If the Reconquista can prove themselves competent with my help, BioNet promises much more in return in the campaigns to come. For a slice of the spoils, of course." The BioNet enforcer smirked inside his helmet, looking himself over. The sleek red and black plates of his GurrenFar Armor caught the light of dusk in such a way as to give off an intimidating glare to his audience. If he'd had the room for it in the building used for the negotiations, the armored fighter would've come wearing the complete suit for extra flair. As it was though, being in a tiny room with one hole in the wall acting as a window, three occupied chairs and a battered table between them, the demonstrations would have to wait until he got onto the battlefield. But he knew there was a more straightforward way to show off some skills to these Reconquista fellows.

Revan began a systems check of his core armor, causing the two men from the rebel group to cease speaking and merely watch at what occurred next. He clenched and unclenched his fists reflexively, the gauntlets responding to the pressure by activating and deactivating two sets of three straight claws made of beams of crimson light. Moments later, sections of the suit began to shimmer in and out of sight, continuing until every bit of plating had managed to vanish and reappear once. Finally, the jewel embedded in the center of the chest plate glowed, then flashed brightly behind its translucent red paneling. Two Reconquista agents stared in shock and awe over what they had seen. The man within the powered armor let his thoughts drift to where he had once been before arriving in this world. A series of conflicts, major and minor, lasting over 20 years. And the two rays of sunshine that he had managed to find and keep for himself during that time.

 _The sooner the girls cross over to here, the better I'll feel about it._ Revan looked out the window to the exercise yard where his robotic ally/ signature weapon, Black Marg, was enjoying himself. Marg kept the ennui away by using his gravity manipulation abilities to take weathered chunks of stone and crush them into densely packed perfect spheres small enough to fit into a human hand. And where Marg was, the Obsidion Hammer was always close by. The BioNet enforcer didn't have access to a repair bay over here yet, but the regen system of the DaiDemoGar should be able to handle the day-to-day stuff well enough if his masters chose to sortie him immediately. The thoughts that followed made him chuckle to himself before he stood up, leaned over the old wooden table, and symbolically offered his open hand to the two men before him. "So, gentlemen, do you care to be with me, or _against me_?"

* * *

Chapter 1 END.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I own nothing except those ideas that I created myself. This story is to entertain and improve my skills as a writer.

* * *

Chapter 2: He Who Guards The Faeries

* * *

Both moons had just begun to rise in the sky by the time Siesta had managed to lead the pair of them to their agreed destination; the Charming Fairy's Inn. It was a large, white two-story structure with an active chimney and a well-kept grey shingled roof. At street level, just over the main entrance to the tavern, hung a wooden placard with a well-done caricature of a dragonfly-winged fairy. She was holding a tray in one hand while holding out the other in the direction of the door with a wink and bright smile on her face.

Hiro was rather impressed with whoever pulled off art like that using only wood and continued to stare at the sign, pondering possible ways that its maker may have employed to bring the image to life until Siesta drew his attention and guided him inside. The dinner crowd filled the taproom to capacity and every one of the 'charming faeries,' ten young women wearing different colored, frilly abbreviated maid costumes, flitted about from table to table like a squad of smiling, flirty honeybees.

Seeing such energy around him made the young man from another world smile. One of the scantily-dressed servers noticed the pair and hurried over to greet them. She was full-figured, wearing a light green version of the 'uniform.' She had long raven hair and bright blue almond-shaped eyes, which lit up in joyous recognition as they focus upon the former maid. "Sie-Sie! What in the world are you doing here?!"

Siesta embraced the dark-haired faerie with a smile. "Looking for work, and any other help you might be willing to offer, Jessa. I've had to make some difficult choices in a hurry and might've put myself in a bind."

The lime colored faerie, now known as Jessa, just turned to the former maid's traveling companion before letting a half-lidded smirk settle on her face. "You eloped with this Noble, didn't you Sie-Sie?"

Siesta flushed a deep red at the insinuation while G-cyborg only turned to face his traveling companion and gave her a solemn look. "So… Do _I_ get to call you 'Sie-Sie' or am I stuck with just 'Honey' for a pet name?"

Jessa froze where she stood utterly stunned at what he just said. But as soon as she noticed his cheeky grin, the lime-colored faerie began shaking with laughter with Hiro joining in immediately after her. The former maid couldn't hold in her embarrassment any further and started lashing out verbally at the young man from another world. "Don't you _dare_ encourage her, Hiro! Bad enough I have to endure her teasing about not having a lover and letters from home wondering if I'm ever bringing someone home to visit!"

Hiro, still grinning, raised his hands in front of him in a gesture of surrender to the former maid's ranting wrath. "Okay, okay! Sorry if that was too off-color, but I figured since your friend went for the jugular like that it meant you two were either quite close or that she is just _that_ blunt and open with people she talks to. Either way, I had a feeling the joke would be received well."

Siesta just gave off a huff of derision before turning away from Hiro and crossing her arms under her breasts. Jessa kept a twinkle of mirth in her eyes before offering her right hand to the young man from another world. "It certainly was. And don't mind Siesta, she hates it when people can embarrass her like that. I'm Jessica, Siesta's cousin. Welcome to the Charming Fairy's Inn, milord."

Hiro gripped her offered hand in a firm handshake. "I'm not a lord, duke, or any other title you can think of. Name's Hiro Gabriev, a pleasure to meet you, Miss Jessica."

The lime colored faerie privately marveled at the hints of strength she could feel in the young man's grip, before guiding the pair further into the taproom. Once inside, Jessica led them upstairs to one of the unused rooms for travelers and asked that they make themselves comfortable while she brought her father up to discuss options with them. The room itself had two small beds with a window sitting in between them. A square table with a pair of wooden chairs was flush against the wall to the right of the door.

Hiro wasted no time plopping himself on one of the beds with a sigh. " _Ahhh_ … That's the spot, right there. Even _with_ my mech legs, walking hour after hour is just too much!"

Siesta giggled to herself. "I thought you were a powerful warrior. _Surely_ you can handle a few hours walk from the Academy to Bruxelles, can't you?" She let loose further peals of laughter as the young man from another world grimaced in return.

Hiro chose not to dignify her quip with a response. Instead, he unzipped his bomber jacket halfway. Reaching within, he pulled out something that resembled a flat black rectangular panel with raised indentations on one side and reflective material on the other. The former maid, at first, thought it was some kind of mirror. But then he touched a spot upon the 'glass,' and it suddenly lit up like a magelamp!

Her traveling companion began sliding his index finger across the lit surface, and a few moments later, strange sounds started filling the air from his section of the room. Siesta moved closer to his bed. "What is that, Hiro?"

The young man from another world juked his head towards the former maid with a puzzled look on his face. Seconds later it shifted to one of bright-eyed interest. "Oh, right! You've never seen anything like this, have you, Siesta?"

Hiro rummaged inside his jacket for a few moments before pulling out a pair of oddly shaped black lumps and a cylinder decorated in three wide stripes of red, white, and blue. A thin cord trailed from behind the bottle and ended in a blunt, metallic tip. The young man from another world then slid off of the bed and walked over to the small table, fiddling with the items he had with him. "I've got another pair of speakers elsewhere in my jacket pockets, but for a demonstration, these should be enough."

The former maid wondered what kind of demonstration he had in mind, just before the sounds of violins and reed flutes began filling the room. "Music?"

Hiro stepped away from what he had been messing with, and the music, in turn, could be heard much clearer now. Siesta closed her eyes and smiled unconsciously, suddenly remembering fond times of her home life in Tarbes. As the young man from another world plopped back down upon his bed, he continued his explanation of his little trinket. "The Sound of the Shire. Only one of the thousands of compositions and other songs stored on my tablet there. I also have close to a thousand novels, and several dozen mangas, comics, anime, and movies; all accessible from it's Micro GS card."

The former maid was jerked back from memory lane rather quickly after hearing 'thousands of novels.' " _You_ have several libraries worth of books inside _that_ tiny thing?!"

Hiro grinned cheekily at Siesta's reaction, remembering his own after electronics manufacturers back home 'went green,' that is, began using G-Stone in their products for its energy generation and data storage capabilities. G-Command's head scientist, Danbei Hayame, found a relatively simple way to craft the artificial gemstones in a multitude of sizes and shapes. The fact that every tech company was willing to pay insane amounts of money to keep the supply coming meant that the openly secret organization became self-sufficient rather quickly. As it was, those little green rocks had been single-handedly responsible for jumpstarting a technological revolution upon Hiro's homeworld.

Remembering what he had been forced to leave behind left a dull ache in the G-cyborg's heart, but he quickly subdued those thoughts and emotions that came with them. _If there was a way here, there must be a way back._

" _Très bien_... C'est Magnifique..." The pair of travelers turned to the now open doorway to find Jessica and a rather muscular 'gentleman' swaying in time with the last cords of the song that had continued to play. Jessica was still in her work costume, and the man next to her was wearing what to Hiro's eyes looked very much like an ensemble of a grey sports bra, maroon bicycle shorts, and feminine white boots. From the neck up he seemed more traditionally masculine, with well-groomed short dark hair and a smooth looking mustache. Unfortunately, the fellow chose to speak just as the music subsided, his falsetto further ruining the image his head might have invoked. "Ma Petite Siesta!"

"Uncle Scarron, it's so good to see you!" The former maid was quickly scooped up in a fierce bear hug as the 'man' known now as Scarron kissed each of Siesta's cheeks. Hiro couldn't help but smile at the familial imagery. That is, until, the fellow let his niece drop back to the floor and then turned to scoop up the young man from another world and repeat the process! "And you must be le Paramore Mystérieux, no? Welcome to our humble tavern, my lord!"

Hiro somehow managed to keep his reaction from that little surprise at the level of a slight grimace as he responded. "Like… Like I mentioned to Jessica, I'm not a nobleman." The young man from another world noticed both girls were now trying to hold in their giggles at the way his face looked before continuing. "I just happen to be a guy with unusual circumstances, that's all."

The music player on Hiro's tablet switched to the next song in the playlist as he began to explain himself and how he had arrived in this new world. The stirring trumpets that were whispered on the air helped shape the narration as he told the highlights of his test flight with the FalconGao and his elation at the speed he had witnessed. The piano solo and deeper chords kicked in as he mentioned the summoning and its after effects, being stripped of his Armor and forced to walk all the way to town through magic. The song finished and cycled to something less dramatic, and the young man from another world was about to leave the backstory on that note. But Siesta quickly chimed in with the facts of the money he'd casually tossed aside as well as her feelings of betrayal over the nobles' collective behavior. Then came her admiration over her companion's response to it. Even going so far as to impersonate what he'd said on the way out. "And then he stood in front of the Headmaster and Miss Valliere and said, ' _Never tell the_ Prince of Braves _that something's_ impossible _._ _I've made a career out of proving you_ wrong.'"

The young man from another world rolled his eyes as both Jessica and her father applauded Siesta's efforts. "C'mon guys. Firstly, standing up to someone like that _isn't_ that special. Secondly, I do _not_ sound that deep, Siesta!"

"Non non non! Such a man that can stand up to Nobles like this is a man to indeed respect!" Scarron scooped up Hiro and swung him around a couple of times as if he was trying to dance. "My maidenly heart is so _moved_ by your courage!"

Both girls laughed aloud as the young man from another world quickly pried himself out of the innkeeper's grip, then started to quiver in place. As soon as his flushed face could be seen, the cousins found it difficult to breathe from their renewed hilarity.

" _Gaaahh_ I think I need a stiff drink after that!" Scarron only nodded in agreement and called for the girls to head down to the bring back refreshments, before shutting the door behind them as they complied and left the room.

The innkeeper turned back to face the young man from another world with a small grin upon his face. "Perhaps now we may speak of nécessités, no?"

The shift in the octave, the shedding of the feminine demeanor, and the now obvious look of casual overkill were more than enough for Hiro to lock eyes with Scarron and take notice. This teddy bear had fang and claw, and the G-cyborg had been entirely unable to tell until the innkeeper _let the mask slip_. The young man from another world stood at attention, his whole body rigid. "What would you like to know, sir?"

* * *

"What the hell made you think we wanted to make contact with these useless rebel scrubs in the first place?!" Revan Greywords kept his expression neutral as the disembodied and distorted voice in front of him continued to rant at his report. "We need allies and a foothold into this new world. Not a goddamn _charity_ case!"

The voice was coming from a video screen in front of the BioNet operative, showing a panel of five older men in crisp business suits, each holding the air of captains of industry. The room where the men sat in was darkened, allowing their outlines and bodies to be noticed, but little else. These were the directors that ruled BioNet's criminal empire.

But Revan wasn't all that impressed anymore, given his history with them. He had stripped out of his armor for the duration of the meeting, leaving him in the form-fitting environment suit needed to interface with his gear. It was a glossy, matte black color, with two bands of a grey textured material along the sides leading to the hands and soles of the feet. "And as I was _told_ , Resources… oh, forgive me. I meant to say, " _Sir_ "… 'Offer your services as a mercenary to whoever would be interested.' The Reconquista is currently the only ones to make a pass so far. The established monarchy here is still drunk on their pride and unwilling to even meet with me by unofficial channels. _You_ wanted a way in. _I_ found one."

The loud, angry voice began building up fervor to yell out a rebuttal at the Bionet Agent's dripping sarcasm, but a single word from the man holding the center seat shut him down. After taking a few seconds to allow his associate to settle down completely, the center voice continued. "Agent Greywords, you have been afforded great agency during this mission, as such, the rest of the Board and I _insist_ upon a swift conclusion. Requisition whatever resources that are deemed necessary to secure our foothold in this new world as quickly as possible."

Revan gave a curt nod in reply, all traces of his earlier venom absent from his next words. "Then in the service of such an order, Chairman, may I request the transfer of Agents Tomoe and Kisaragi? Their skills would expedite the plan to your satisfaction. I'll also need proper support staff and facility for the maintenance of the DaiDemoGar, as well as other miscellaneous assistance."

The five executives debated the suggestion amongst themselves before the head of Bionet replied. "I will allow it. However, a supervisor will be accompanying them along with the rest of your reinforcements to ensure you stay on task and not… _distracted_ by the sight of your Dolls. Dismissed."

Revan snapped a crisp salute to his masters as the vidscreen went dark.

* * *

It took all of a day for the word to spread about the sudden changes at the Charming Faerie's Inn. The new girl that almost looked like Scarron's daughter, Siesta, was a bit clumsy at times, but her exotic, almond-shaped blue eyes and friendly demeanor made her a quick favorite of the patrons.

The one that been hired to protect the faeries, Hiro, he was something else entirely. Much of the time he was more than willing to jump in with the banter being thrown around the taproom. But if any of Scarron's rules were bent too far, the new guy wasted little time in removing the one or ones responsible. His first big showing had the young man from another world hold five drunks up off the floor by the scruffs of their tunics. He then somehow navigated the other cheering tables until he reached the front door, where the G-cyborg tossed the whole bunch out into the street warning them not to come back until tomorrow, or he'd throw them in the river so they could sober up.

The remaining crowd loved it, and between his rumor-inducing abilities, the fresh face of a new faerie waitress, and the strange original music that could be heard all around the taproom the Charming Faerie's Inn had been handling a grand surge in activity for over a month now.

Today, after cleanup from last night had been completed, Scarron gathered together everyone to set out their tasks and pep up their spirits. "Alright everyone, though this time is busier than many of you are used to, I refuse to believe any of my faeries will not rise to the challenge! The Charming Faerie's Promise! Un~~!"

The various girls hopped to attention as they answered the innkeeper. "Serve with a cheerful smile!"

The teddy bear shifted his body into a pose with him kneeling on his right knee, and both his arms raised high with his hands flat and facing away from him. "Deux~~!"

The faeries changed their stance now as well, arranging themselves into a line and twisting their torsos slightly to the right. Each girl then rested her left hand on her hip while the right was moved partially in front of their faces with the hand making the V-sign. The eye that could be seen between the index and middle fingers was winking as each faerie gave a happy grin. "A clean, sparkling store interior!"

Scarron stood up and spun around till his back was facing everyone, then partially squatted down while simultaneously leaning forward. Both his arms were akimbo, and his hands were held flat with palms facing the viewer. "Trois~~!"

The girls spread themselves out a bit before each raised her left hand high, then pulling it back down and spreading arms wide with their hands in a loose fist. Each faerie then extended the index, pinky, and thumbs of their hands while leaving the ring and middle fingers pressed into their palms. They all tucked in their arms, spun around once and stood with their legs in a wide stance. All of them had their left arms loosely held across their chests while the right was held straight in a higher position partially in front of their faces. They finished up their synchronized stylings by turning to expose their backs till they had arms held wide at an angle. Before giving a half spin and arranging themselves to face forward with left arm bent and hand still in their earlier finger configuration pointing to the right, and right arm tucked across their chests with index finger extended forward and thumb pointed up. "Receive lots of Tips, or in the Name of the Moon, we'll punish _you_!"

Hiro watched all of this and just barely managed to resist the urge to clap a palm to his forehead. "A fully choreographed rendition of Sailor Moon's taunt pose all mastered in under two weeks… I can't believe all of you would side with the Boss on this."

The young man from another world slumped as the girls cheered their victory before they clamored for the G-cyborg to live up to his part of the wager. After a few moments, Hiro raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. "Alright, alright… I concede the victory to… to… _ugh- mi Mademoiselle_."

The innkeeper quivered happily as he cupped his face with his hands. "Très Bien."

We'll leave the G-cyborg in his attempt to avoid quivering himself and choose instead to explain more of the situation in detail: Immediately after Hiro arrived at the Inn, he had proved stubborn in his utter refusal to going along with the gag involving Scarron's 'cultured nickname.' At the same time, he was all too willing to share more and more of what had been stored upon his little miracle device with everyone at the Inn. Thus were these people the first in Halkeginia's history to be introduced to anime, TV shows, and animated visual media, in general, all at once in the form of Sailor Moon.

It hadn't taken much finagling to convince the innkeeper to let the young man from another world play a nightly episode after the workday was done 'for the benefit of the faeries,' not that he wasn't right there with them catching each recorded minute alongside the girls. Seeing a young girl be the heroine in such a flashy and revealing way, at least to their sensibilities, was a fantastic new concept to explore.

Hiro's problem began shortly one particular evening when Scarron had felt so moved by the lunar senshi's latest adventure that he'd jumped from his seat and struck a few credible poses from the show. To further annoy the young man from another world, the light from the two moons above chose _that moment_ to shine in through a nearby window, shrouding the innkeeper in a mysterious aura that made all the girls clap and laugh in response.

The G-cyborg couldn't avoid commenting his displeasure at the display, which in turn got Jessica and Siesta to support their family member. One short argument between the three of them later, a wager had been set: two weeks from then, if Jessica and Siesta could convince every faerie to participate in a group pose during the daytime meeting, Hiro would accept the way of things and begin to play along with Scarron's 'uniqueness.' But if even one failed to keep in step or refused to join in, the innkeeper would agree to not act quite as matronly from now on. The young man from another world would be allowed to make his attempts during that time to convince any of the other girls against participating through little favors or debate. Neither side could outright bribe the faeries, and Hiro could not interfere with the practice sessions of the girls that chose to side with Jessica and Siesta.

But while the G-cyborg gave it his best effort to charm the other faeries to his side, in the end, all eleven young women had chosen to support Scarron. Hiro gave an exaggerated slump as he shuffled off to deal with his share of the heavy prep work alongside Mi Mademoiselle, who was proving graceful in victory. "You are a good man, Mon Ami, but if you are to understand a maiden's heart you must be less hard and rigid in your thinking, no?"

The young man from another world grinned back at Scarron as the pair moved into the cellar. "If I weren't the way I am, Boss, I wouldn't have survived the last two years intact."

At the far end of the dark confines of the storeroom were stacked casks of ale and wine racks filled with various vintages. The innkeeper directed the G-cyborg to move two large barrels back up to the kitchen and taproom while he began taking a quick inventory of the wines at the Inn's disposal. Hiro quickly complied, and soon the young man from another world squeezed back through the cellar door with a cask of ale held in each arm.

He quickly exchanged the barrels and moved the empty ones to the back alley to be broken down into kindling later on. Not an instant after he set the empty containers on the ground, a voice echoed across the alleyway. "So are you ready for tonight, big guy?"

The young man from another world smothered the grimace that formed on his face before turning towards the source of the voice. "Hello, _Marlene_ …"

Marlene was one of the faeries in Scarron's employ. Currently, she was in her light blue frilly uniform that hugged her shapely form. Most of her long brown hair was bound in low hanging twintails leaving her bangs to frame her pretty face, dark green eyes, and a mischievous smirk. The faerie took note of the G-cyborg's less than warm expression on her face and made a showing of clasping her hands together in front of her, which coincidentally forced her arms to squeeze her breasts _just right_ to give her cleavage a little visual boost.

But unlike most other times during the last 2 weeks, now Hiro's gaze never shifted from Marlene's eyes. The brunette pouted slightly before slinking towards the young man from another world. "Please don't be mad. I forgot that the presentation was today a-"

"Doesn't matter. We're done, and you can find a new star for your little side gig." The G-cyborg's tone was sober and cold, but his eyes were seething hot as he glared at his 'ex-partner.'

Marlene ignored Hiro's gaze as she took hold of his left arm and gently pressed it into her bosom. "Are you sure we can't… _alter_ … the agreement slightly? It'll be so much more interesting than some silly bet."

Every other time in the last two weeks this bit had gotten a rise out of the young man from another world. _This time_ , however, he merely let a loud snort escape his nostrils before he yanked his arm out of the faerie's grip and smoothly walked back into the Inn. Before the brunette could finish calling his name, the door thunked shut loudly behind him.

Hiro sighed to himself before heading back to the cellar. "Ah, brave new world… that has the same ol' people in it."

* * *

It was a shimmering translucent blue rectangle surrounded by a makeshift frame of pipes and wiring on an elevated platform. A basic aluminum ramp led up to the base of the azure aperture. All around the Bionet Agent were supplies and personnel that had already crossed the threshold from his world to this one. But the only thing Revan was able to focus on were the two young women that emerged from the portal. Seconds later, the blue field evaporated leaving its frame behind as the both of them walked towards the cyborg. If, in nature, it were possible for someone to achieve the ideal mixture of endowment, muscle tone, and symmetry these two were as close to it as could ever be found.

The first was a bit taller than the other, with waist-long raven hair bound into a tight bun behind her head, leaving two long bangs free in front. Her viridian eyes were sweeping around the room from behind a pair of simple round spectacles, taking in her surroundings before settling upon the Bionet Pilot. A small smile graced her lovely features, but her tone was all business as she spoke to him. "Greetings, Pilot Greywords. I assume there is a _reason_ you have requisitioned a small army and the two of us in these _ridiculous_ getups for such a simple operation?"

The ridiculous getups were, in fact, skintight matte black ultra-polymer membrane bodysuits underneath a powered exoframe with secondary defensive plating. A striking visual, even when one took into account how the armor seemed to only cover enough of the chest and lower torso to give the impression of a gunmetal grey thong bikini while also fully covering the arms and legs. Needless to say, Revan found the sight most enjoyable. "Those suits can no-sell practically all forms of small-arms fire while leaving you both agile enough to dodge the heavier stuff. What _exactly_ do you have left to complain about, Honey?"

Honey crossed her arms under her chest and gave the Bionet Pilot a deadpan expression. "The membrane leaves nothing to the imagination, and _somehow_ we were given the version of the warframe that came with _platform heels_ of all things."

The cyborg made a show of scoffing openly at the accusation, even though the mirth could easily be heard in his voice. "I love how all your requisition malfunctions can be blamed on me. Here I am, going out of my way to _ensure_ my girls are kept safe during this op, and I get nothing but _complaints_ about how they look?!"

"Not from me, I loo~ve the feel of these suits, Daddy." The silky voice of Honey's shorter counterpart cut into the discussion as she sashayed past Revan's field of vision. Her complexion was fair to the point of pale, her violet eyes and a pretty face framed by her shoulder-length straight dark hair. The young woman made two more circuits around her counterpart and the cyborg, going slowly so that her audience had the biggest opportunity to take in her show of balance and grace. Afterward, she embraced Revan from the side and settled her chin on his right shoulder with a content sigh. "What do you think? I practiced walking in the tallest heels I could find for _months_ to get the rhythm just right…"

The Bionet Pilot's vision clouded slightly before forcing cheer back into his tone. "L-looks great, Firefly. You really put a lot of effort into that."

"...you don't like it?" It was little more than a whisper from Firefly. But to the cyborg, it felt loud and painful to his senses. Revan turned to face her before muttering his reply.

"I don't like that you did all this for _me_ , Hotaru."

Hotaru's mood quickly shifted to confusion as she tried puzzling out the vague reasoning from the Bionet Pilot. A moment later, the brightness returned to her eyes as she settled her head back into place on her Daddy's shoulder. "I don't mind giving my time to things like this if the result can make you happy." The young woman gave Revan's arm a comforting squeeze before speaking again. "After all, I belong to you. All of my time, all of myself, all for _you_."

The cyborg was silent for a few moments, before leaning towards Hotaru and gently kissing her forehead. "Firefly, I-"

The Bionet Pilot was cut off as a keening laugh cut through the air. "My, my, my~, such a lovely scene I have found. But this _simply won't do_ …"

Sparks danced across a section of space in front of the trio, revealing a tall, lanky individual. It wore a tall, pointed black hat and matching scraggly coat that covered most of its body. The only area not included in the unusual ensemble was the face, which wore a bright white circular mask, decorated like a Jack-in-the-box. Though few could claim to know what was hidden under such a costume, the Bionet Pilot knew this one's identity well enough.

 _"Gimlet…"_

The marionette man quietly laughed his grating laugh before giving a slight bow to the trio. "Monsieur. Mademoiselles. It is such a pleasure to work with you all once again."

"Like _Hell_ you are! Technician, reopen the aperture. Mr. Gimlet _isn't_ staying long." The shorter woman's face had twisted into the fullest expression of hate she could muster. This lent great speed to the portal operator's efforts until Revan spoke up. "Belay that order."

"WHAT?! Daddy, you can't be serious-"

The Bionet Pilot grabbed Hotaru's arm roughly and with a small application of pressure turned the rest of what she would have said into a short cry of pain. The cyborg then yanked the shorter woman closer until the two of them were all but nose-to-nose. "Supervisor Gimlet is here to ensure the Board's interests are held paramount during the Op. Furthermore, Agent Tomoe, you are in charge of the M2 Center, _nothing else_. If I hear you've attempted to circumvent the chain of command again, I will order you back to HQ that very second. _Are. We._ _ **Clear**_?"

A part of Hotaru wanted to protest having the marionette man merely being in the same hemisphere as her, but it was entirely overruled by the greater whole knowing better than to challenge her Daddy openly once he took that tone. "Y-yes D... _Sir_. Yes, Sir, I understand completely. May I be excused to oversee the M2 Center's construction?"

Revan nodded once and let go of her arm. The shorter woman wasted little time vacating the chamber as the three of them watched on. The Bionet Pilot turned back toward the marionette man and bowed in his direction. "My deepest apologies for Agent Tomoe's outburst, Supervisor. If you wish, I'll personally see to any further discipline you deem appropriate."

Gimlet simply waved a taloned hand at the cyborg. "Non non, Monsieur. I am quite satisfied with your handling of the situation. It would not do to squeeze our little Firefly too harshly, hm?"

Revan directed Honey to wait for him at the Intelligence Hub of the facility before guiding the marionette man further into the base. "I trust you, and I don't need to have words in regards to my daughter while we are here?"

Gimlet seemed to glide along the floor while keeping in step with the Bionet Pilot. "Not unless you wish to reconsider my earlier proposal. Though I can easily understand why you might keep such a well-grown black rose all to yourself. How fortunate she is not yours by blood, oui?"

* * *

Two more months went by peacefully for the young man from another world. Hiro found his days both full and fulfilling with his work watching the taproom at night, and his days in town with the local blacksmith. The steelshaper had suffered his anvil falling upon his leg as the G-cyborg happened to pass by on an errand for Scarron. And before everyone's astonished faces, the smith's, most of all, Hiro had merely grabbed the wrought iron tool and hoisted it up as if it were a sack of grain.

By this time everyone in town more or less knew of the man with the rumored strength of ten, so the shock of the incident was quick to fade. But the master artisan was still quite impressed with Hiro's feat and offered his forge and tutelage to see if the young man from another world could do more than lift a heavy anvil. So, with Mi Mademoiselle's consent, the G-cyborg began to learn how to take raw ore and shape it into tools, weapons, and armor every morning. Progress was slow, but every day held some new exciting thing to learn for the young man from another world.

Hiro had just returned from his lessons when one of the faeries had mentioned a new girl had been brought in by Jessica. Privately, he hoped this one could fill the void left by Samantha moving back home a week ago; the former faerie had been genuinely _gifted_ , and many regulars at the Inn were in a bit of a fugue as a result.

The young man from another world got as far as the saloon doors at the entrance before he caught sight of the newcomer and was halted in his tracks. The girl was shorter than hoped for and possessed a slender figure. The other faeries had already dressed her in a pure white version of the uniform, which paired well with her pale complexion. But it was her waist-long strawberry blonde hair, cute face and crimson eyes that indeed gave away her identity to the G-cyborg.

The innkeeper introduced the pinkette to the other girls that had already been assembled. "This, my dear fairies, is Louise, her father was ready to sell the poor dear to cover some horrendous gambling debts until she made her way here to the city. Please welcome her warmly."

The others, except Siesta, applauded as Louise stepped forward to speak, only to notice Hiro just inside the doorway. "What in Founder's name are you doing _here_?!"

The young man from another world stormed up to the noblewoman before crossing his arms in front and staring her in the eye. "That's my line, squirt. Is there a point to you being here or are you just trying to uproot me a _second_ time?"

* * *

Chapter End.


End file.
